Almost every suspension has warning signs — they just show up on a page most sellers ignore until it’s too late: Account Health. Treat this dashboard as your early-warning system and you can fix small problems before they ever become account-threatening ones.
What is Account Health?
The Account Health dashboard in Seller Central tracks how well you’re meeting Amazon’s performance and policy standards. Its headline number is the Account Health Rating (AHR), which broadly sits in three bands — Healthy, At Risk and Unhealthy. Fall into the unhealthy band and your account can be deactivated, so the goal is simple: stay firmly in the green.
The metrics that matter most
- Order Defect Rate (ODR) — the big one. Amazon expects it under 1%. It combines negative feedback, A-to-z claims and chargebacks.
- Policy violations — suspected IP infringements, authenticity issues, listing-policy and product-condition complaints. Each one dents your AHR.
- Valid Tracking Rate and Late Shipment Rate (for seller-fulfilled orders).
- Cancellation Rate (pre-fulfilment cancellations).
How to stay above the line
- Check the dashboard weekly. New policy notifications appear here first — catch them early.
- Resolve violations fast with a focused response and evidence, rather than letting them stack up.
- Keep ODR low with accurate listings, good products, fast responses to buyers, and proactive fixes when something goes wrong.
- Ship on time with valid tracking if you fulfil orders yourself.
- Stay compliant — many violations are really compliance gaps in disguise.
Use Account Health Assurance
Eligible sellers with a strong track record can benefit from Account Health Assurance — Amazon commits to reach out and work with you before deactivating, giving you a chance to fix issues. It’s a strong reason to keep your account healthy and your history clean.
The mindset: prevention beats reinstatement
A reinstatement can take weeks and cost you sales, sleep and sometimes the account. Ten minutes a week on your Account Health dashboard is the cheapest insurance in e-commerce. If you do get suspended, our Plan of Action guide walks you through the recovery.
Part of the Amazon seller problems & fixes hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Amazon Account Health Rating?
You want to be in the “Healthy” band. The rating reflects your performance metrics and policy compliance; “At Risk” is a warning, and “Unhealthy” can lead to deactivation. Keep resolving issues to stay green.
What Order Defect Rate does Amazon require?
Amazon expects an Order Defect Rate below 1%. ODR combines negative feedback, A-to-z guarantee claims and service chargebacks, so keeping products and service quality high is the way to protect it.
How often should I check my Account Health?
At least weekly. New policy notifications and violations appear on the Account Health dashboard first, so frequent checks let you fix problems before they escalate into a suspension.
What is Account Health Assurance?
It’s a programme where eligible sellers with a good track record get a commitment from Amazon to contact them and help resolve issues before deactivating the account — another reason to keep your account health strong.
Want a health check on your account before problems appear? Book a free consultation.